Time-controlled device.



S. W. & R. H. PEARCE. TIME CONTROLLED DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APRjll, 1914.

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afkouaeg HE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTONv D, C.

S. W. & R. H. PEARCE.

TIME CONTROLLED DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APBfll, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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THE NQRRIS PETERS CO-. PHOTD-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL W. PEARCE AND RICHARD H. PEARCE, 0F TUSHKA, OKLAHOMA.

TIME-CONTROLLED DEVICE.

Application filed April. 11, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, SAMUEL WV. PEARoE and RICHARD H. PEARCE, citizens of the United States, residing at Tushka, in the county of Atoka and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Controlled Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in time controlled devices and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use as an annunciator; and an object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general character adapted to operate asignal at a predetermined time.

The invention has also for its object to provide a novel and improved device of this general character adapted to be operatively connected with a moving part of a conventional clock and provided with regulatable means whereby a signal may be caused to operate at any predetermined period of time.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of our improved time controlled device whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully set forth in the appended claims.

In order that our invention may be the better understood, we will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a conventional clock, showing an annunciator constructed in accordance with an embodiment of our invention in applied position thereon; Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the device as illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but showing our improved attachment in an inoperative position relative to the clock proper; Fig. a is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of our attachment, with the controlling disk and rear plate removed; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 831,228.

similar to Fig. 5, but showing the contact in an inoperative position; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the striking hammer herein included; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view disclosing the means herein included for maintaining the trip, forming part of our present invention, against release; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the central por tion of our attachment and the rear plate of the clock, disclosing the form of connection, herein included, between the center staff of the clock and the central shaft of the attachment; Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 101O of Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1111 of Fig. 9.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a clock of any conventional form but herein disclosed as an ordinary alarm clock including the bell 2. These parts may be of any ordinary or preferred construction and form no part of our present invention, except the center staff 3 thereof which projects beyond the rear face of the clock 1 and has its extremity angular in cross section, as indicated at 4, and more particularly shown in Fig. 9, for purposes which will be hereinafter more particularly explained.

5 denotes the forward plate of our attachment which is substantially of the same dimensions and configuration as the adjacent portion of the clock 1 and is hingedly connected with such clock, as indicated at 6, which hinge being so positioned as to permit the plate 5 to be swung substantially in a horizontal plane, and diametrically opposed to the hinge 6 is a conventional latch 7, herein shown as carried by the clock proper and adapted to hold or maintain the plate 5 in operative position relative to the clock proper.

Operatively connected to and maintained in spaced relation with the plate 5 through the medium of the posts 8 is the rear plate 9 of a diameter less than that of the plate 5. Operatively supported between the plates 5 and 9 is the shaft 10 having fixed thereto the toothed gear 11 and with such gear and shaft ooacts the driving spring 12 of our improved attachment, such shaft 10 being projected forwardly of the plate 5, as is particularly shown in Fig. 3, and such projected portion is provided with the button 12*, whereby such shaft may be rotated with convenience for winding the spring, in a manner which is believed" to be clearly apparent to those skilled in the. art to which our present invention appertains. The gear 11 meshes with a pinion 14 carried by the shaft 15 operatively supported by the plates Sand 9, and such shaft 15 has fixed thereto the escape wheel 16 with which coacts in the general way the escape dog17 fixed to the shaft 1 8 also operatively sup; ported by the plates 5 and 9. The shaft 18 has projecting upwardly therefrom the alarm hammer 19 disposed on such an angle as to permit the head 20 thereof to engage or strike the hell 2 when the wheel 16 re; leased and permitted to rotate under the action of the spring 12. The shaft 15 is also pltq Yided with adisk 21 having produced in i rh ir h y th hp ch or was 2 which i adapted 'to accommodate the angular extension 23' of the trip lever, 24 pivotally sup: ported intermediate its length by the stub shaft 25 projecting inwardly from the plate 9, and the opposite extremity or tail 26 of the lever 24 is adap ted to be engaged by the striking hammer 27, herein disclosed as formed on he. xtr m y of t e sp n r 28 operatively engaged with the shaft 23 operatively supported between the plates 5 nd 94 A150, p r e by th Plate 5 a 9 is the rebound bar 30 with which the prin arm s ad pt d to. onta t whe n h hve h a b en impa ted o th shaft 29, the return movement te the shaft being imparted, as herein disclosed, through the medium of the flat spring 31 suitably xed t e s a 2 a d passing under the rebound bar 30, as is particularly shown in Figs. 4 and 7. It will be seen that as. the. hammer 27 s rik s. t tail. o lever rh y 26 of he lev 24, the an ula P0 tion 23 thereof will be retracted from with n h recess 29 of he s a e ish 21, and he h r wil e ca se to i rate until the lever 24, or more particularly the an u ro ti h 3 t e a n nga es the recess 22 to hold the shaft 15 against axial rotation. In order that the angular portion 23 of the lever, 24 will automatically h e t s em s 22, e is lbss'h h h a at prin 32 s it y ahche' d t h nte face of theplate 9 and having its free extremity bearing against such lever 24 intermediate its fulcrum and its 'angi lar ex tremity 23. i

The shaft 29, is adapted to be initially rocked through the medium of mechanical means and for this purpose such shaft 29, is proyide d with the projecting finger 33 of a length to project beyond the periphery of the plate L9 and adapted to be en ed or. con ac ed w n a m n er t e h ihih: after more particularly referred toI Rotatably supported by theplat'es 5 and 9. and at substantially their axial centers is a central shaft 34, the inner extremity of which being provided with a socket memher 35 endwise adjustable thereon and adapted to engage the angular portion 4 of the center sta'ff3 of the clock 1, whereby it will be seen that the central shaft 34 will be caused to rotate in synchronism with such center stafi. By having the socket 35 capable of movement endwise of the shaft 34, it will be readily perceived that an adjustable connection between the shaft and staff afforded to compensate for any variations in applying our attachment to the clock. herein disclosed, the socket 35 is provided with the longitudinally directed elongated slots 36 through which project the extremities of a pin 37 disposed through the shaft 31 and outward pressu e is disposed upon such socket 35 through the medium of the expansihle member 38 interposed between the inner extremity of the socket member 35 and a suitable stop 39 produced on the shaft 34.

The shaft 34 is of such length as to project exteriorly of the rear plate 9 and has loosely. mounted for rotation upon its outer extremity the controlling or operating disk or wheel 40 having produced in its periphery the teeth or notches 41, for a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly set forth. The shaft 34 intermediate the plate 9 and the disk or wheel 40 has fixed thereto the gear wheel 42 meshing with a gear wheel 43 mounted on a stub shaft 44 carried by the plate 9, and such shaft 44 is also provided with a pinion 45 in mesh with a gear 46, herein disclosed as integrally formed with the disk or wheel 40 and disposed concentrically around the axis thereof. The ratio ofthe'gears 42, 43, 45 and 46 is such that the disk or wheel 40 will be caused to make one complete revolution upon eight revolutions of the center staff 3 on which the minute'ha'nd of the clock is mounted, as is a conventional arrangement. As herein disclosed, the wheel 40 includes the peripheral flange 47, and in detachable or adjustable engagement with such flange 47 are the contact members 48, such members being herein shown as formed of a single strand of material' having their opposite end portions angnlarly disposed, as indicated at 49, to straddle or bridge the opposite marginal portions of such flange 48, the outer angular portion 49 being adapted to engage between certain of the teeth 41 in order to determine the time of engagement of the inwardly disposed projecting extremity 50 of such contactfor member 48 with the finger 3.3,"w hic h contact or engagement causes the shaft 2,9to be rocked whereby it will be perceived that at any predetermined periods of time. the hammer 19 may be caused to vibridge "to give'a signal; The contacts or members possess a certain degree of re- 1 siliency or flexibility, whereby they may be removed from or applied to the flange 47 with convenience and facility and in order to facilitate their manipulation, we find it of advantage to have the intermediate portion of each of such members or contacts 48 bent to afford the substantially V-shape extensions or fingers 51 which serve as an operating handle and also permit the requisite separation of the angular portions 49 when it is desired to either apply or remove the contacts or members. As herein disclosed, the notches or teeth 4-1 produced in the periphery of the disk or wheel l, or more particularly the flange 47 thereof, are adapted to be one hundred ninety-two in number, or each tooth being the equivalent of two and one-half minutes of time, whereby it will be readily perceived that the moment of contact or engagement between the projected extremity 50 and the finger may be caused to occur at any predetermined time.

@ur invention, as herein disclosed, is especially adapted for use in connection with school rooms or the like when the session is divided into different periods and serves as an efiective means whereby a signal may be given at the conclusion of each of the periods. it often occurs that occasions arise which require that the signal be made inoperative, and for this reason we pivotally mount upon the inner face of the plate 9 the bell lever 52 adapted to have one extension engage the lever 2e and maintain the angular extremity 28 thereof within the recess 22 of the wheel or disk 21 against the action of the hammer 2'7, the second extension of such lever 52 extending beyond the periphery of the plate 9 so that such lever may be manipulated with convenience and facility. F or convenience of description, the lever 52 may be termed a cut off.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a time controlled device constructed in accordance with our invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and by reason of the effectiveness with which it performs its functions, and it will also be obvious that our invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out our invention in practice.

While it is believed that the operation of our improved device is clearly apparent from the foregoing description, it may be well to state that the contact members 48 are positioned upon the wheel 40 in predetermined spaced relation in accordance with the times at which it is desired to cause the bell 2 to sound, and such members l8 are adapted to have their projecting extremities 50 contact with the projecting finger 33 carrie l by the shaft 29 so as to cause the hammer 27, after an extremity 50 has passed over the finger 33, to strike the tail 26 of the lever 24: to rock the same in such a man ner as to retract the angular portion 23 of the lever 2" from within the notch 22 of the disk 21, whereupon the shaft 14: will be caused to rotate under the influence of the spring 12 and thus cause the hammer 19 to strike the bell 2 until one rotation of the shaft 15 has been completed, whereupon the angular portion 23 of the shaft 24 will drop within the recess 22 and hold the shaft 15 against rotation until the next following projection 50 operatively engages the finger 33.

lVe claim:

1. In combination with an alarm clock including a bell and having its center staff rearwardly projected, a plate hingedly connected with the clock and adapted to overlie the rear face thereof, a striking mechanism carried by the plate and adapted to coact with the bell of the clock, and means carried by the plate operatively connected with the projected portion of the center staff for controlling the operation of the striking mechanism.

2. In combination with an alarm clock including a bell and having its center staif rearwardly projected, a plurality of spaced plates, one of said plates being pivotally engaged with the clock and adapted to overlie the rear thereof, a striking mechanism operatively supported by the spaced plates and adapted to coact with the bell, a shaft rotatably supported by the spaced plates, said shaft and center staff being provided with coacting means whereby the same may-be operatively connected, a disk loosely mounted on the shaft, means for operatively connecting the shaft and disk to cause the disk to rotate in unison with the shaft but at a different speed, and means carried by the disk coacting with the striking mechanism for controlling the operation of the striking mechanism.

3. In combination with an alarm clock including a bell and having its center staff rearwardly projected, a plurality of spaced plates, one of said plates being pivotally engaged with the clock and adapted to overlie the rear thereof, a striking mechanism operatively supported by the spaced plates and adapted to coact with the bell, a shaft rotatably supported by the spaced plates, said shaft and center staff being provided with coacting means whereby the same may be operatively connected, a disk loosely mounted on the shaft, means for operatively connecting the shaft and disk to cause the disk to rotate in unison With the shaft but at a less speed, and means carried by the disk 00- acting with the striking mechanism for controlling the operation of the striking mechanism.

4-. In combination With an alarm clock including a bell and having its center staff rearwardly projected, a plate hingedly connected with the clock and adapted to overhe the rear face thereof, a striking mechanism carried by the plate and adapted to coact with the bell of the clock, means carried by the plate operatively connected with the projected portion of the centerstafli 5 for controlling the operation of the striking mechanism, and auxiliary means for locking the striking mechanism againstoperation.

' In testimony whereof We hereunto afiix our signatures in the presence of two Wit- 20 nesses.

' SAMUEL WV. PEARCE.

RICHARD H. PEARCE. WVitnesses: I

W. B. HAYES, E. R. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Wa hing on, D- 03. 

